As a self-proclaimed champion of the people, Connecticut’s Friend of Mario expresses dismay that the big guys are dumping money on his head. “No no no, I don’t want it!” he cried yesterday as yet another pharma employee arrived pusing another wheelbarrow of cash. “It’s too much, I just don’t deserve it”. Dodd denies that this surprising influx of cash has anything to do with him taking over the ObamaCare program on behalf of his co-conspirator Ted Kennedy. Asked if he intended to return any of the loot the Senator clutched a wad of bills to his chest and said, “it’s mine. I earned it,I want it. Screw off.”

Democratic Sens. Kent Conrad and Chris Dodd were told from the start they were getting VIP mortgage discounts from one of the nation’s largest lenders, the official who handled their loans has told Congress in secret testimony. Both senators have said that at the time the mortgages were being written they didn’t know they were getting unique deals from Countrywide Financial Corp., the company that went on to lose billions of dollars on home loans to credit-strapped borrowers. Dodd still maintains he got no preferential treatment.

Dodd got two Countrywide mortgages in 2003, refinancing his home in Connecticut and another residence in Washington. Conrad’s two Countrywide mortgages in 2004 were for a beach house in Delaware and an eight-unit apartment building in Bismarck in his home state of North Dakota.

Robert Feinberg, who worked in Countrywide’s VIP section, told congressional investigators last month that the two senators were made aware that “who you know is basically how you’re coming in here.”

“You don’t say ‘no’ to the VIP,” Feinberg told Republican investigators for the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, according to a transcript obtained by The Associated Press.

The next day, Feinberg testified before the Senate Ethics Committee, an indication the panel is actively investigating two of the chamber’s more powerful members

Mouse — don’t give up hope just yet. The Duke has his ear to the ground and is beginning to think that Dodd’s situation is so bad that he may not run, especially if he (and The Swimmer) can ram socialized medicine down our throats and then retire with that “victory”.